Assembly method for a window of a rail vehicle, and rail vehicle

ABSTRACT

A rail vehicle having a wall or door with an opening arranged therein and a window pane arranged in the opening. The rail vehicle has a clamping frame which is inserted into the opening, which is mounted ahead of the window pane, and which has a region of overlap with the window pane on the plane of the wall or door. Also disclosed is a method for assembling a window pane in an opening of a wall or door of a rail vehicle, wherein the window pane and a clamping frame are inserted into the opening, the clamping frame is mounted ahead of the window pane and has a region of overlap with the window pane on the plane of the wall or door.

PRIORITY CLAIM

This patent application is a U.S. National Phase of International Patent Application No. PCT/EP2012/072571, filed 14 Nov. 2012, which claims priority to Austrian Patent Application No. GM 627/2011, filed 18 Nov. 2011, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

FIELD

Disclosed embodiments relate to a rail vehicle comprising a wall/a door, with an opening arranged therein, and a window unit, which is arranged in the opening. Disclosed embodiments also relate to a method of installing a window unit in an opening of a wall/of a door of a rail vehicle.

BACKGROUND

Installation methods of the type mentioned above are known in principle. For example, FIG. 1 shows, for this purpose, a cross section through a rail-vehicle wall 1 which has an opening with an all-round rebate 2. A window unit 3 has been inserted into the rebate 2. In this example, the wall 1 comprises inner paneling 4 outer paneling 5 and a frame 6, which runs along the aforementioned opening and in which the first rebate 2 is made. In specific terms, in this example according to the prior art, the window unit 3 is retained by a seal 7. The operation of installing the window unit 3 here comprises essentially two steps, namely those of installing the seal 7 on the unit 3 or in the frame 6 and of inserting the unit 3, with the seal 7 installed, into the frame 6, or of inserting the unit 3 into the seal 7, which has been installed on the frame 6. Installation often requires special tools, e.g. an “installation cable”. Moreover, the arrangement which is shown does not have sufficient sealing for the high loading which occurs in a high-speed train, and this may result in the ingress of water between the window unit 3 and the seal 7 and/or between the frame 6 and the seal 7.

FIG. 2 shows a cross section through a wall 1 of a further rail vehicle, the wall, in turn, having an opening with an all-round rebate 2. A window unit 3, which comprises an inner panel 8, an outer panel 9 and a spacer frame 10, has been inserted into the rebate 2. The wall 1, once again, comprises inner paneling 4 outer paneling 5 and a frame 6, which runs along the aforementioned opening and in which the first rebate 2 is made. In specific terms, in this example according to the prior art, the window unit 3 is adhesively bonded in the rebate 2 with the aid of an adhesive 11. For correct installation, in particular correct adhesive bonding, of the window unit 3, a number of boundary conditions have to be observed. For example, temperature and moisture levels have to be kept within a certain range. In addition, it should be ensured that the workshop is in a dust-free state. Furthermore, the adhesive bonding has to be carried out by skilled workers, so as to maintain certain quality standards. This, of course, increases the costs of producing a rail vehicle. In addition, the aforementioned requirements cannot be met in a repair workshop, or can be met only with a high level of outlay. A further disadvantage of this solution also resides in the fact that it is only once the adhesive of the adhesively bonded unit has cured to the full extent that the unit can be brought into service again, and is capable of absorbing the loading which occurs in the process. The repair work thus takes a comparatively long period of time overall.

In a further variant which is known from the prior art, but has not been illustrated, the unit is adhesively bonded in a separate carrying frame, which projects beyond the outer contour of the unit. This makes it possible for the unit to be screwed into the vehicle wall directly with the aid of the carrying frame. Since the aforementioned carrying frame projects beyond the unit, it is only the carrying frame, rather than the unit, which needs to be drilled for the screw-connection holes. This solution has the disadvantage that it is only possible for the unit to be changed over together with the carrying frame, even though it is usually the case that, while the unit is in need of replacement, the carrying frame is still intact. This unnecessarily increases the costs of repairing a rail vehicle. It would also be possible, in theory, to insert a new unit into the carrying frame. However, this would usually require the interchangeable unit to be repaired at the window-unit manufacturer, and would significantly delay the repair work carried out on a rail vehicle. Since the costs for the downtime of a rail vehicle are considerably higher than the saving achieved, this is not an option which is usually pursued.

SUMMARY

Disclosed embodiments provide an installation method for a window of a rail vehicle and a rail vehicle. In particular, disclosed embodiments provide a solution which has also been tried and tested for a high-speed train and allows a window unit to be changed over in a rapid and cost-effective manner.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

Disclosed embodiments are described in detail below with reference to the following figures, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a first variant of a prior-art window unit installed in a wall of a rail vehicle, the window unit being retained by a seal;

FIG. 2 shows a second variant of a prior-art window unit installed in a wall of a rail vehicle, the window unit being adhesively bonded in the wall; and

FIG. 3 shows an example of an installation situation in which a window unit is retained in the wall by a clamping frame.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DISCLOSED EMBODIMENTS

Disclosed embodiments provide a rail vehicle which comprises a clamping frame which is inserted in an opening, and arranged in front of the window unit, and has a region of overlap with the window unit in the plane of the wall/of the door.

Disclosed embodiments comprise the steps of a) inserting the window unit into the opening, and b) inserting a clamping frame into the aforementioned opening, wherein the clamping frame is arranged in front of the window unit and has a region of overlap therewith in the plane of the wall/of the door.

It is thus made possible for a window unit to be installed or changed over without any need for it to be adhesively bonded. The operation of installing the window unit thus does not require any spaces which are suitable specifically for adhesive bonding, and it can also be carried out correctly by less qualified workers. This lowers the costs of changing over a window unit, which is important specifically in respect of increasing vandalism. In particular in high-speed transport, in addition, use is made of comparatively thick and heavy insulating-glass units (approximately 15-30 mm in thickness), since the conventional laminated-glass or single-pane safety-glass units (approximately 5-10 mm in thickness) do not achieve the necessary thermal-insulation and sound-insulation values. On account of their weight, these thick insulating-glass units give rise to considerable problems during the changeover operation if the units are adhesively bonded to the wall. In particular there is a risk of the surface protection of the wall being damaged during the operation of changing over the unit. The solution presented is thus suitable, in particular, for rail vehicles with a maximum speed above 200 km/h, since the clamping frame provides a defined means of pressing the seal against the unit, and a high level of sealing under controlled installation conditions is ensured.

Advantageous configurations and developments of the disclosed embodiments can be gathered from the dependent claims and from the description in combination with the figures.

The window unit may be of frameless design. By doing away with a specific frame which projects beyond the circumference of the window unit, the costs of changing over a window unit can be reduced yet further, since it is only a defective window unit, and not the frame enclosing it, which has to be changed over. It is usually the case that, even if the window unit is destroyed, the frame remains intact. Furthermore, the weight of the frame is done away with, in which case the window unit is more lightweight to handle and therefore the risk of damage to the window unit, or to the wall or to the door in which the window unit is installed, is reduced.

The opening in the wall/the door may have a first all-round rebate and a second rebate, which is offset in relation to the first rebate, wherein the window unit is inserted into the first rebate and the clamping frame is inserted into the second rebate. In the case of an associated installation method, the window unit is inserted into the first rebate in step a) and the clamping frame is inserted into the second rebate in step b). This allows the operations of installing and removing the window unit to take place in a very rapid and cost-effective manner.

The window unit may be retained in the opening merely by the first rebate and the clamping frame. Dispensing with further retaining means beyond the means mentioned above allows the operations of installing and removing the window unit to take place in an even more rapid and cost-effective manner.

The rail vehicle may comprises a second clamping frame, which is arranged in front of the window unit and is located opposite the first clamping frame, as seen in relation to the window unit. In the case of an associated installation method, a second clamping frame is thus inserted into the wall prior to step a). It is thus possible to do away altogether with rebates in the wall/the door, and this simplifies the construction of the latter. Optionally, the two clamping frames, for their part, may be sealed in the direction of the vehicle wall or door by at least one deformable sealing element.

The window unit may be retained in the opening merely by the two clamping frames. Dispensing with further retaining means beyond the means mentioned above allows the operations of installing and removing the window unit to be carried out in an even more rapid and cost-effective manner.

At least one clamping frame may terminate flush with the wall/the door. It is thus possible, on the one hand, to reduce the risk of injury from parts which stick out and also—if the clamping frame has been installed on the outside of the rail vehicle—to improve the aerodynamics of the same.

At least one clamping frame may project out of the plane of the wall/of the door. This makes it easier for the clamping frame to be pulled out of the opening of the wall/of the door during removal.

A seal may be provided between the wall and the window unit and/or between the clamping frame and the window unit. This makes it possible, on the one hand, to achieve good sealing in respect of water and sound and good thermal insulation. Also possible as a result is good tolerance compensation for the components involved in retaining the window unit.

the seal may have a plurality of ribs or grooves running along a surround of the opening. On the one hand, this improves the sealing function; on the other hand, it also reduces the amount of force which is necessary for compressing the seal and thus, ultimately, the pressure applied to the window unit and the clamping frame or the wall.

At least one clamping frame may be screwed to the wall/the door or two clamping frames are screwed to one another. This allows in particular the operation of removing the window unit to take place, even repeatedly, in a rapid and cost-effective manner.

At least one clamping frame may be of hollow design. This allows the weight of the clamping frame to be reduced to a considerable extent.

A screw for the screw-connection of the clamping frame may be arranged in the cavity of the clamping frame. It is thus possible to avoid screw heads projecting beyond the clamping frame, without having to countersink head screws for this purpose.

An opening (e.g., a bore or a slot) in the clamping frame for the aforementioned screw(s) may be closed by a covering. This allows the interior of the clamping frame to be well safeguarded against dirt and corrosion.

A clamping frame may be arranged on the inside of the wall/of the door of the rail vehicle. This likewise makes it possible to reduce the tendency toward corrosion. In addition, the outside of the rail vehicle may be of comparatively planar configuration, which improves the aerodynamics thereof.

Finally, at least one clamping frame may be formed by a plurality of loose clamping strips. This readily makes it possible to compensate for installation tolerances, the clamping strips being shortened as required.

It should be noted here that the disclosed embodiments given in respect of the rail vehicle, and the resulting advantages, can also be applied analogously to the method of installing a window unit, and vice versa.

In the disclosed embodiments, like parts are provided with like reference signs or like component designations, wherein the disclosures contained throughout the description can be transferred analogously to like parts with like reference signs or like component designations. It is also the case that the positional references made in the description, e.g. top, bottom, lateral, etc., refer to the illustrated figure which is in the process of being described and, in the event of a change in position, can be transferred analogously to the new position. Furthermore, it is also possible for individual features or combinations of features from the various exemplary embodiments shown and described to constitute solutions which are independent, inventive or provided according to the disclosed embodiments.

FIG. 3 shows a cross section through a wall 1 of a rail vehicle. A window unit 3 has been inserted into an opening of the wall 1. In specific terms, in this example, the opening comprises a first all-round rebate 2, into which a window unit 3 has been inserted. The wall 1 comprises inner paneling 4 outer paneling 5 and a frame 6, which runs along the aforementioned opening and in which the first rebate 2 is made. As an alternative, the wall 1 could also comprise aluminum profiles without any independent inner or outer paneling. In this case, the rebate 2 would be made directly in the wall 1, for example by milling. In this example, a seal 7 is provided between the wall 1 and the window unit 3, the seal having a plurality of ribs or grooves running along the surround of the opening. It would, of course, also be possible for just one rib or groove to be provided in the seal 7. The seal 7 between the wall 1 and the window unit 3 is of single-part design in this example; it would, of course, also be conceivable to use a multi-part seal 7.

The window unit 3 comprises an inner panel 8, an outer panel 9, which is adhesively bonded to a central panel 12 via an adhesive layer 13, and a spacer frame 10, which is arranged between the inner panel 8 and the central panel 12.

The opening has arranged in it a second rebate 14, which is offset in relation to the first rebate 2, and a clamping frame 15, which is inserted into the second rebate 14. The clamping frame 15 may be of single-part design or may be formed by a plurality of loose clamping strips. The clamping frame 15 projects beyond the second rebate 14 in the plane of the wall 1 in the direction of the window unit 3, that is to say the clamping frame 15 has a region of overlap with the window unit 3. The window unit 3 is thus retained in the opening by the first rebate 2 and the clamping frame 15 when the clamping frame 15 has been inserted into the second rebate 14; there is no need for any further retaining means. In other words, there is no need for any adhesive for fixing the window unit 3 in the opening. It can also be seen from FIG. 3 that the window unit 3 has been inserted directly into the first rebate 1, that is to say it is also the case that the window unit 3 does not require any carrying frame, containing fastening holes, fixed to it to retain it in the opening.

For the aforementioned reasons, the window unit 3 can be installed in the opening of the wall 1 of the rail vehicle using a particularly efficient method. The latter comprises the following steps:

-   -   a) inserting the window unit 3 into the opening, and     -   b) inserting a clamping frame 15 into the aforementioned         opening, wherein the clamping frame 15 is arranged in front of         the window unit 3 and has a region of overlap therewith in the         plane of the wall 1/of the door. In specific terms, in the         present example, the window unit 3 is inserted into the first         rebate 2 in step a) and the clamping frame 15 is inserted into         the second rebate 14 in step b). This allows a window unit 3 to         be installed or changed over without adhesive bonding being         necessary for this purpose.

By doing away with a specific carrying frame for the window unit 3, the costs can be reduced yet further, since it is only a defective window unit 3, but not the carrying frame enclosing it, the carrying frame usually remaining intact, which has to be changed over. Furthermore, the weight of the carrying frame is done away with, in which case the window unit 3 is more lightweight to handle and therefore the risk of damage to the window unit 3, or to the wall 1, is reduced.

In the present example, the clamping frame 15 is of hollow design and is screwed to the wall 1. For this purpose, a screw 16 is arranged in the cavity of the clamping frame 15, wherein an opening, e.g. a bore or a slot, in the clamping frame 15 for the aforementioned screw 16 is closed by a covering 17. All that is therefore required for the operation of installing a window unit 3 are standard tools which are present, in practice, in any workshop, for example an Allen wrench. It would therefore also be possible, in principle, for the window unit 3 to be changed over in a railroad station, if there is inherent danger caused, for example, by protruding splinters or the like.

As can easily be seen from FIG. 3, the clamping frame 15 is sealed in the direction of the wall 1 by a seal 18. The seal 18 acts as a barrier against penetrating dirt and cleaning agents, and can expediently be interrupted (at the bottom) for drainage/ventilation of the second rebate. Furthermore, a seal 7 is provided not just between the wall 1 and the window unit 3, but also between the clamping frame 15 and the window unit 3. Instead of the two-part seal 7 which is shown in FIG. 3, it would also be possible to provide a single-part seal. Good tolerance compensation can be achieved by providing the seals 7 and 18. Furthermore, window-unit installation using a clamping frame 15 is suitable in respect of a high level of seal-pressing action and is thus suitable under the high loading which arises in high-speed transport, in particular for rail vehicles with a maximum speed above 200 km/h.

In this example, the clamping frame 15 is arranged on the inside of the wall 1 and projects out of the plane of the wall 1. It would, of course, also be possible, however, for the clamping frame to be arranged on the outside and/or to terminate flush with the wall 1.

A particular advantage of the design illustrated in FIG. 3 is that the clamping frame 15 is arranged on the inside of the vehicle and there are therefore no parts projecting beyond the outer surface of the vehicle. This provides a good safeguard, in design terms, against corrosion. Protruding parts on the outside would be exposed, for example, to the brushes of a system for washing the rail vehicle and would lose their corrosion protection, over time, at the edges which are the inevitable result of parts which stick out. This is largely avoided in the proposed solution because it is only the outer paneling 5, the frame 6, which is flush with the paneling, the window unit 3 and the seal 7 which are visible from the outside of the vehicle. The clamping frame 15 is hardly exposed to any corrosion at all since it is arranged on the inside of the vehicle.

In at least one disclosed embodiment, it would be possible for the seal 7 to project beyond the frame 6, in a manner similar to that illustrated in FIG. 1. In addition, it would be possible for the outer paneling 5 to cover the frame 6 completely, that is to say to extend as far as the upper edge thereof.

It would also be conceivable for the unit 3 to be retained by clamping frames 15 arranged on either side. In this case, it is possible to do away with the first rebate 2. It is also possible to do away with the second rebate 14 if the two clamping frames 15 are screwed directly to one another. The frame profile 6 which is then used may be, for example, a straightforward rectangular tube. If the unit 3 is retained by clamping frames 15 arranged on either side, then, in the case of the method of installing the window unit 3, a second clamping frame would be inserted prior to step a), and this second clamping frame, following completion of steps a) and b), would be arranged in front of the window unit 3 and located opposite the first clamping frame 15, as seen in relation to the window unit 3.

The disclosed embodiments have been explained with reference to a wall 1 of a rail vehicle. It is, of course, also possible, however, for the teaching disclosed to be applied, without any restrictions, to a door of the same.

The exemplary embodiments present possible variants of a window being installed, wherein it should be mentioned here that the invention is not restricted to the specifically illustrated embodiments of the installation operation; rather, various combinations of the individual embodiments are also possible, and this variation option, on account of the teaching relating to technical practice provided by the present invention, falls within the area of expertise of a person skilled in this technical art. The scope of protection of the patent, therefore, also covers all conceivable variants which are made possible by combining individual details of the variant which has been illustrated and described.

In particular, a wall 1 with a window unit 3 installed may, in reality, also comprise more or fewer constituent parts than illustrated.

As a matter of form, it should be pointed out that, to give a better understanding of the construction of a wall 1 of a rail vehicle, the wall, or the constituent parts thereof, in some cases have not been illustrated to scale and/or have been illustrated on an enlarged and/or reduced scale.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

1 Wall

2 First rebate

3 Window unit

4 Inner paneling

5 Outer paneling

6 Frame

7 Seal

8 Outer panel

9 Inner panel

10 Spacer frame

11 Adhesive layer

12 Central panel

13 Adhesive layer

14 Second rebate

15 Clamping frame

16 Screw

17 Covering

18 Seal 

1. A rail vehicle, comprising: a wall or a door with an opening arranged therein; and a window unit which is arranged in the opening, wherein said rail vehicle has a clamping frame which is inserted in the aforementioned opening, and arranged in front of the window unit, and has a region of overlap with the window unit in the plane of the wall or of the door.
 2. The rail vehicle of claim 1, wherein the window unit is frameless.
 3. The rail vehicle of claim 1, wherein the opening has a first all-round rebate and a second rebate, which is offset in relation to the first rebate, wherein the window unit is inserted into the first rebate and the clamping frame is inserted into the second rebate.
 4. The rail vehicle of claim 3, wherein the window unit is retained in the opening merely by the first rebate and the clamping frame.
 5. The rail vehicle of claim 1, wherein said rail vehicle has a second clamping frame, which is arranged in front of the window unit and is located opposite the first clamping frame, as seen in relation to the window unit.
 6. The rail vehicle of claim 5, wherein the window unit is retained in the opening merely by the two clamping frames.
 7. The rail vehicle of claim 1, wherein at least one clamping frame terminates flush with the wall or the door.
 8. The rail vehicle of claim 1, wherein at least one clamping frame projects out of the plane of the wall or of the door.
 9. The rail vehicle of claim 1, wherein a clamping frame is arranged on the inside of the wall or of the door.
 10. A method of installing a window unit in an opening of a wall or of a door of a rail vehicle, the method comprising: a) inserting the window unit into the opening; and b) inserting a clamping frame into the aforementioned opening, wherein the clamping frame is arranged in front of the window unit and has a region of overlap therewith in the plane of the wall or of the door. 